Paper wraps, paper wrapped products, and methods of making the same

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure provides paper wraps, paper wrapped products, such as rolled bath tissue, paper towel products, or bundles of rolled bath tissue or paper towels, and methods for covering a product or bundled products in a paper wrap. For example, printed paper wraps and their use are described, wherein the printed paper wraps comprise at least one heat-sealable adhesive that may be applied in varying locations, coverage levels, and patterns comprising different seal strengths, which may be sealed using heat and/or pressure external to the products for packaging and protective purposes.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is based on U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.62/990,201, filed Mar. 16, 2020, and U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationNo. 63/140,084, filed Jan. 21, 2021, both of which are herebyincorporated by reference in their entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure provides paper wraps, paper wrapped products,such as rolled bath tissue, paper towels, or bundles of rolled bathtissue or paper towel products, and methods for covering such productsin a paper wrap. For example, printed paper wraps and their use aredescribed, wherein the printed paper wraps comprise at least oneheat-sealable adhesive that may be applied in varying locations,coverage levels, and patterns comprising different seal strengths, whichmay be sealed using heat and/or pressure external to the products forpackaging and protective purposes.

BACKGROUND

Paper wraps are known to be useful in protecting various products, forexample, individually rolled bath tissue products used in hotels, officebuildings, and the like. In such instances, paper wraps areconventionally manufactured to be wrapped around the bath tissue productwith a core, wherein the excess wrapping on the ends is twisted andtucked into the core to stay in place. These cores are typically atleast two inches in diameter. However, in the case of “coreless” paperproducts, there is no core sufficient to tuck excess paper into, so suchpaper wraps cannot be used to protect these rolled tissue products usingconventional wrapping methods. The hole in the middle of rolled corelesspaper products is typically less than one inch in diameter, thus thereis not sufficient space in which to tuck excess paper wrapping.

It is, therefore, desirable to develop a paper wrap which stays securelywrapped around a paper product, for example a coreless paper product, toprotect the product, without needing to twist and tuck the paper wrapinto a core to stay in place. Relatedly, the paper wrap must also beable to be easily removed by consumers for their use. Thus, while thepaper wrap must be securely sealed around the product, the seal shouldnot be so secure that it is difficult for consumers to remove.

Paper wraps may also be used in the protection of bundled products, forexample bundles of bath tissue or bundles of paper towels. The use ofpaper wraps for bundled bath tissue or paper towels is moreenvironmentally friendly than the widely used plastic or poly film wrapscurrently in use for such bundled products. Paper wrap technology forbundled bath tissue has seen some interest in, e.g., Europe, due to anincreased desire for sustainable solutions to replace plastics. However,current paper wraps for bundled bath tissue often tear open easily whenthe bundle is dropped, and thus they do not securely hold the productsin place when transported or stored.

It is, therefore, also desirable to develop a paper wrap which stayssecurely wrapped around bundled products, for example, a bundle of bathtissue rolls or paper towel rolls, to protect the products, withouttearing open easily upon dropping the bundle. Relatedly, the paper wrapmust also be able to be easily removed by consumers for their use.Current plastic or poly film wraps for bundled bath tissue are oftendifficult for consumers to open, since the plastic is often melted toitself and must be aggressively torn apart or punctured in order forconsumers to open the package. Thus, while the paper wrap must besecurely sealed around the bundle, the seal should not be so secure thatit is difficult for consumers to remove.

Moreover, the paper wrapped products must also be able to betransported, for example in bulk on pallets in trucks, where theindividual or bundled products are typically stacked one on top of theother in varying temperatures. Where adhesives are used to secure thepaper wrap around the product, it is therefore desirable that theadhesive keep the paper wrap secured on an individual or bundledproduct, without sticking one product (or bundled product) to another.This sticking of one product to another when paper wrapped products arestacked on top of each other is called “blocking” and should beminimized. The products should also be wrapped in a manner to minimizeadhering the wrap to the product itself in a way that causes damage ortearing to the product (or bundled product) when the wrap is removed.

The present inventors have surprisingly designed paper wrapped products,and methods of wrapping an individual or bundled product in a paperwrap, wherein the paper wraps have enough seal strength to secure andprotect the product but need not be twisted and tucked into a core ofthe product to stay in place, are easily opened in one piece, and areresistant to blocking and damage to the product during removal.

SUMMARY

Embodiments disclosed herein provide inventive paper wrapped products,wherein the paper wrap is coated with at least one adhesive that willseal to itself, another adhesive, or to the paper wrap to secure thepaper wrap around the product, without the paper wrap needing to betwisted and tucked into a core of the product to stay in place. Withoutwishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that, by selectivelyapplying adhesive to the outside surface of a paper wrap in varyingpatterns and levels of coverage described herein, and by folding thepaper wrap to cover the product such that the adhesive contacts andbinds to itself, another adhesive, and/or the paper wrap, the overallperformance of the paper wrapped product can be improved. Selectiveadhesive coverage to the outside surface of a paper wrap will not onlyresult in cost savings but will also decrease the potential for blockingand damage to the product.

Embodiments disclosed herein also provide inventive paper wrappedproducts, wherein the products can be opened without frustration, butwherein the paper wrap has sufficient seal strength to preventunintentional tearing or tampering. The inventive paper wrapped productsdisclosed herein are also more environmentally friendly than the widelyused plastic or poly film paper wraps. In some embodiments, it isbelieved that, by selectively applying adhesive to both the outsidesurface of a paper wrap and the inside surface of a paper wrap, and byfolding the paper wrap to cover the product such that the adhesivecontacts and binds to itself, another adhesive, and/or the paper wrap,the overall performance of the bundled product can be improved.

The present application further discloses methods of making improvedpaper wrapped products, which paper wraps exhibit excellent sealstrength, cost savings, and decreased blocking.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1A depicts an exemplary paper wrapped coreless bath tissue rollwith a 4.0″ width and a 4.75″ outside diameter (“OD”).

FIG. 1B depicts how individually wrapped rolled paper products could bestacked together for transport.

FIG. 2A depicts a side view of an exemplary individually wrappedcoreless bath tissue roll, wherein the areas of the outside surface ofthe paper wrap that remained exposed on the outside surface of theproduct were marked in a spotted pattern.

FIG. 2B depicts an overhead view of the paper wrapped rolled tissueproduct from FIG. 2A, showing one exemplary method of folding the paperwrap over the top of the product.

FIG. 2C depicts another view of the paper wrapped rolled tissue productfrom FIG. 2A, where the paper wrap has been partially unwrapped from thetop of the product and where the areas of the outside surface of thepaper wrap that were folded back and overlaid with other portions of theoutside surface of the paper wrap were marked in a light gray solidpattern and a dark gray solid pattern.

FIG. 2D depicts the outside surface of the paper wrap from FIGS. 2A-2Cunwrapped and laid flat.

FIG. 3 depicts an exemplary adhesive configuration on the outsidesurface of a paper wrap for an individually wrapped item according tothe present invention using a single adhesive applied in a vertical linecorresponding to the area that forms the belly seal and applied in twohorizontal lines corresponding to the areas that form the end seals.

FIG. 4 depicts an exemplary adhesive configuration on the outsidesurface of a paper wrap for an individually wrapped item according tothe present invention using two different adhesives shown by differentshading in the areas corresponding to the belly and end seals.

FIG. 5 depicts an exemplary adhesive configuration on the outsidesurface of a paper wrap for an individually wrapped item according tothe present invention using a single adhesive and having a non-uniformgeometry in the application of the adhesive shown by triangular cutoutsin the horizontal areas corresponding to the end seals in order tominimize the amount of adhesive that remains exposed on the surface ofthe product after wrapping.

FIG. 6 depicts an exemplary adhesive configuration on the outsidesurface of a paper wrap for an individually wrapped item according tothe present invention using two different adhesives shown by thedifferent shading (one adhesive for the belly seal and one adhesive forthe end seals) and having a non-uniform geometry in the application ofthe adhesive shown by triangular cutouts in the horizontal areascorresponding to the end seals in order to minimize the amount ofadhesive that remains exposed on the surface of the product afterwrapping.

FIG. 7 depicts an exemplary adhesive configuration on the outsidesurface of a paper wrap for an individually wrapped item according tothe present invention using a single adhesive and wherein the adhesiveis not applied to the far right edge of the horizontal areascorresponding to the end seals in order to minimize the amount ofadhesive that remains exposed on the surface of the product afterwrapping.

FIG. 8 depicts an exemplary adhesive configuration on the outsidesurface of a paper wrap for an individually wrapped item according tothe present invention using two different adhesives shown by thedifferent shading (one adhesive for the belly seal and one adhesive forthe end seals) and wherein adhesive is not applied to the far right edgeof the horizontal areas corresponding to the end seals in order tominimize the amount of adhesive that remains exposed on the surface ofthe product after wrapping.

FIG. 9 depicts an exemplary adhesive configuration on the inside surfaceof a paper wrap for an individually wrapped item according to thepresent invention having adhesive applied in a vertical line in the areacorresponding to the belly seal.

FIG. 10 depicts an exemplary adhesive configuration on the outsidesurface of a paper wrap for an individually wrapped item according tothe present invention using two different adhesives shown by thedifferent shading and having one adhesive applied in two vertical linesfor the areas corresponding to the belly seal and one adhesive appliedin two horizontal lines corresponding to the areas that form the endseals after folding one edge back on itself during wrapping.

FIG. 11 depicts an exemplary embodiment of a paper wrap according to thepresent invention having adhesive applied in a vertical line in a 100%coverage pattern corresponding to the area that forms the belly seal andin two horizontal lines in a 100% coverage pattern corresponding to theareas that form the end seals.

FIG. 12 depicts an exemplary embodiment of a paper wrap according to thepresent invention having adhesive applied in a vertical line in a 100%coverage pattern corresponding to the area that forms the belly seal andin two horizontal lines in a 50% coverage striped pattern correspondingto the areas that form the end seals.

FIG. 13 depicts an exemplary embodiment of a paper wrap according to thepresent invention having adhesive applied in a vertical line in a 100%coverage pattern corresponding to the area that forms the belly seal andin two horizontal lines in a 25% coverage square pattern correspondingto the areas that form the end seals.

FIG. 14 depicts an exemplary embodiment of a paper wrap according to thepresent invention having adhesive applied in a vertical line in a 100%coverage pattern corresponding to the area that forms the belly seal andin two horizontal lines in a 7% coverage dot pattern corresponding tothe areas that form the end seals.

FIG. 15 depicts a graphical representation of the Seal Performance fromExample 2.

FIG. 16 depicts a side view of an exemplary paper wrapped bundle ofrolled bath tissue, wherein the wrap consists of two end seals and aside (belly) seal.

FIG. 17 depicts an overhead view of an exemplary paper wrapped bundle ofrolled bath tissue, wherein the wrap consists of two end seals and aside (belly) seal.

All measurements shown in the Figures for the dimensions and geometriesof the exemplary products, wraps, and adhesive coverage patters areexemplary only and are not limiting on the possible lengths andgeometries covered by the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The paper wrapped products according to the present disclosure have atop surface, a bottom surface, and at least one side surface. As usedherein, the term “paper wrapped product” may refer to an individuallywrapped item or a group of items, such as a bundle of items covered by asingle paper wrap. As used herein, the term “top surface” refers to thesurface of the product that faces upwards when the product is placed ona platform, such as a pallet to be transported. Conversely, the term“bottom surface” refers to the surface of the product that facesdownwards when the product is placed on a platform, such as a pallet tobe transported. In some embodiments, the product may be symmetrical suchthat the top and bottom surfaces are opposite one another, but areidentical, such as in a roll product. In the example of a roll product,the top and bottom surfaces are symmetrical and may also be referred toas the “ends.” The term “side surface” refers to any surface of thepaper wrapped product that is positioned in between the top surface andthe bottom surface. In the example of a roll product, the side surfaceconstitutes the curved portion that lies in between the symmetrical topand bottom surfaces and may also be referred to as the “belly.” As usedherein, the term “bundle” refers to a group of items, which are stackedtogether and are covered by a single paper wrap. For example, a bundlemay include parallel stacks of items, such as rolls, wherein the stacksof rolls are covered by a single paper wrap. In the example of a bundleof rolls, the top and bottom surfaces of each bundle may be symmetrical,and the top and bottom surfaces of the bundle of products may also bereferred to as the “ends.” The side surface of the bundle constitutesthe curved portions of the stacked roll products in between thesymmetrical top and bottom surfaces of the roll products and may also bereferred to as the “belly.”

The paper wrap according to the present disclosure is a planar sheethaving a first surface and a second surface. When wrapped around aproduct, the first surface may be referred to as the outside surface andthe second surface may be referred to as the inside surface. As usedherein, the “inside surface” is defined as the surface of the paper wrapthat primarily faces towards the product when wrapped around theproduct. Conversely, as used herein, the “outside surface” is defined asthe surface of the paper wrap that primarily faces outward and away fromthe paper product when wrapped around the product.

The paper wrap may be made of any known material comprising a majorityportion derived from cellulosic pulp. In some embodiments, chemical woodpulps may be used. In other embodiments mechanical wood pulps may beused. In some embodiments, the paper wrap may be a coated paper wrap,wherein one or both sides are coated with a mineral or pigment, forexample clay, kaolin, calcium carbonate, bentonite, and/or talc. In someembodiments, the paper wrap may comprise kraft fiber wood pulps. In someembodiments, the kraft fiber may be bleached or unbleached kraft fiber.In some embodiments, the paper wrap may contain from 0-100% recycledfiber content, for example at least about 15%, at least about 25% or atleast about 40% recycled fiber. In some embodiments, the basis weight ofthe paper wrap can range from about 9 lb/3000 ft² to about 50 lb/3000ft². In some embodiments, for example wherein the products areindividually wrapped items, the basis weight of the paper wrap can rangefrom about 9 lb/3000 ft² to about 25 lb/3000 ft², for example, fromabout 12 lb/3000 ft² to about 20 lb/3000 ft², or from about 14 lb/3000ft² to about 16 lb/3000 ft². In some embodiments, for example whereinthe products are bundled items, the basis weight of the paper wrap canrange from about 15 lb/3000 ft² to about 50 lb/3000 ft², for example,from about 20 lb/3000 ft² to about 30 lb/3000 ft², for example fromabout 23 lb/3000 ft² to about 27 lb/3000 ft². In some embodiments, thepaper wrap may be a printed paper wrap, meaning that it containsdecorative elements, patterns, or informational markings, such as textor eye marks, on the outside surface. As used herein, the term “eyemark” means a small identifying mark, such as a rectangular printed arealocated near the edge of the printed paper wrap, that may be used tolocate and/or position the paper sheet during manufacture or processing.

According to the present disclosure, the paper wrap is folded to coverthe product such that portions of the outside surface of the paper wrapare folded back to overlay other portions of the outside surface of thepaper wrap. As used herein, the term “folded back to overlay” meansfolded back such that one portion of the outside surface of the paperwrap directly contacts another portion of the outside surface in aface-to-face configuration.

In some embodiments, the paper wrap is folded to cover the product suchthat a first portion of the outside surface of the paper wrap is foldedback at least once to overlay a second portion of the outside surface ofthe paper wrap at a position covering the top surface of the product; athird portion of the outside surface of the paper wrap is folded back atleast once to overlay a fourth portion of the outside surface of thepaper wrap at a position covering the bottom surface of the product; anda first portion of the inside surface of the paper wrap overlays a fifthportion of the outside surface of the paper wrap at a position coveringthe at least one side surface of the product. In this way, when wrappedaround the product, the paper wrap has portions overlapping itself ateach of the top surface, the bottom surface, and at least one sidesurface. This configuration may be seen in FIGS. 1A, 2A, 2B, 16 and 17 .

According to the present disclosure, portions of the outside surface ofthe paper wrap are coated with at least one adhesive. In someembodiments, at least one first adhesive is coated onto at least one ofthe first or second portions of the outside surface of the paper wrapand at least one second adhesive is coated onto at least one of thethird or fourth portions of the outside surface of the paper wrap suchthat, when wrapped around the product, the first and second portions ofthe outside surface are bonded together by the at least one firstadhesive and the third and fourth portions of the outside surface of thepaper wrap are bonded together by the at least one second adhesive. Inthis way, when wrapped around the product, the paper wrap has portionsbonded together at each of the top surface and the bottom surface of theproduct. In some embodiments, the fifth portion of the outside surfaceof the paper wrap is also coated with at least one third adhesive suchthat, when wrapped around the product, the at least one third adhesivebonds to the corresponding first portion of the inside surface of thepaper wrap. In this way, when wrapped around the product, the paper wraphas portions bonded together at each of the top, bottom, and sidesurfaces of the product. The configurations above allow the paper wrapto secure itself around the product, without needing to be twisted andtucked into a core of the product to stay in place.

In some embodiments, each of the first and second portions of theoutside surface of the paper wrap are coated with the at least one firstadhesive and each of the third and fourth portions of the outsidesurface of the paper wrap are coated with the at least one secondadhesive such that, when wrapped around the product, the first andsecond portions of the outside surface of the paper wrap are bondedtogether by an adhesive-to-adhesive bond and the third and fourthportions of the outside surface of the paper wrap are bonded together byan adhesive-to-adhesive bond.

In some embodiments, the first portion of the inside surface of thepaper wrap may also be coated with an adhesive such that, when wrappedaround the product, the first portion of the inside surface of the paperwrap and the fifth portion of the outside surface of the paper wrap arebonded together by an adhesive-to-adhesive bond at a position coveringthe at least one side surface of the product. In an alternativeembodiment, a sixth portion of the outside surface of the paper wrap maybe coated with an adhesive and folded back to overlay the fifth portionof the outside surface of the paper wrap at a position covering the atleast one side surface of the product in order to form anadhesive-to-adhesive bond at a position covering the at least one sidesurface of the product.

FIGS. 2A-2C depict a paper wrap in various stages of being wrappedaround a rolled tissue product, marked to indicate areas of the outsidesurface of the paper wrap that remain exposed on the outside of theproduct after wrapping and areas of the outside surface of the paperwrap that are folded back to overlay other areas of the outside surfaceof the paper wrap after wrapping. In the depicted embodiments, the areasmarked in a spotted pattern were determined to be areas of the outsidesurface of the paper wrap that remain exposed on the outside of theproduct after wrapping, where no adhesive is needed. The areas markedwith either a light gray or dark gray solid pattern were determined tocomprise the portions of the outside surface of the paper wrap thatfolded back to overlay other portions of the outside surface of thepaper wrap after wrapping, corresponding to said first and secondportions or said third and fourth portions of the outside surface of thepaper wrap described above, where adhesive may be applied to form abond. FIG. 2D shows the same paper unwrapped and laid flat to show, forexample, where the adhesive may be applied to the wrap prior to foldingto form such adhesive bonds.

FIGS. 3-8 depict various exemplary geometries of how adhesive may beapplied to the outside surface of the paper wrap before folding andwrapping around a product according to the present invention. Thehorizontal solid shaded areas correspond to areas where adhesive may beapplied to the paper wrap to form the end seals upon wrapping(comprising said “first,” “second,” “third,” and “fourth” portions ofthe outside surface of the paper wrap described above). The verticalsolid shaded portions correspond to areas where adhesive may be appliedto the paper wrap to form the belly seal upon wrapping (comprising said“fifth” portion of the outside surface of the paper wrap describedabove). FIG. 9 depicts an exemplary geometry of how adhesive may beapplied to the inside surface of the paper wrap having a vertical solidshaded area comprising said “first portion of the inside surface of thepaper wrap” forming the belly seal described above in some embodiments.In some alternative embodiments, the entire inside surface of the paperwrap may also be coated in an adhesive. The configuration of the insidesurface of the paper wrap may be combined with any of the configurationsof the outside surface of the paper wrap, including those shown in FIGS.3-8 . FIG. 10 depicts an exemplary geometry of how adhesive may beapplied to the outside surface of the paper wrap having horizontal solidshaded areas corresponding to areas where adhesive may be applied to thepaper wrap to form the end seals upon wrapping (comprising said “first,”“second,” “third,” and “fourth” portions of the outside surface of thepaper wrap described above) and vertical solid shaded areascorresponding to areas where adhesive may be applied to the paper wrapto form the belly seals upon wrapping (comprising said “fifth” and“sixth” portions of the outside surface of the paper wrap describedabove). While the dimensions depicted in FIGS. 3-10 are exemplary for anindividually wrapped bath tissue product, the same exemplary adhesiveapplication geometries may also be useful in other types of individualor bundle wrapped products of different dimensions. Other geometries mayalso be used in addition to those depicted in FIGS. 3-10 .

The paper wrapped product may be any product of any shape. The paperwrapped product may be either a single item or a grouping of items, suchas a bundle. In some embodiments, the paper wrapped product may compriseat least one roll-shaped product. In some embodiments, the paper wrappedproduct may comprise at least one paper towel roll. In some embodiments,the paper wrapped product may comprise at least one bath tissue roll. Insome embodiments, the paper wrapped product is an individually wrappedpaper towel roll. In some embodiments, the paper wrapped product is anindividually wrapped bath tissue roll. In some embodiments, the paperwrapped product may comprise a bundle of roll-shaped products. In someembodiments, the paper wrapped product is a wrapped bundle of bathtissue rolls, for example a bundle of cored or coreless bath tissuerolls. FIGS. 16 and 17 depict examples of side and overhead views of anexemplary paper wrapped bundle of rolled bath tissue, wherein the wrapconsists of two end seals and a side (belly) seal. In some embodiments,the paper wrapped product is a wrapped bundle of paper towel rolls, forexample a bundle of cored or coreless paper towel rolls.

In some embodiments, the paper wrapped product comprises at least onecoreless roll. In some embodiments, the paper wrapped product comprisesa coreless bath tissue roll. In some embodiments, the paper wrappedproduct is an individually wrapped coreless bath tissue roll. In someembodiments, the paper wrapped product comprises a coreless paper towelroll. In some embodiments, the paper wrapped product is an individuallywrapped coreless paper towel roll. In some embodiments, the paperwrapped product is a wrapped bundle of coreless bath tissue rolls. Insome embodiments, the paper wrapped product is a wrapped bundle ofcoreless paper towel rolls. As used herein, the term “coreless” rollmeans a roll product that either does not have a through-hole extendingfrom the top surface to the bottom surface or contains a through-holeextending from the top surface to the bottom surface that is less thanabout one inch in diameter. For example, in the case of a paper towelroll or bath tissue roll, a cored product contains a through-hole with acore (such as a cardboard or hardened core) that is over one inch indiameter and is intended to receive a dispenser rod for supporting theroll when in use. In contrast, a coreless paper towel roll or corelessbath tissue roll does not comprise a cardboard core or hardened corethat is over one inch in diameter.

According to the present invention, the adhesive coating applied toeither the outside surface or the inside surface of the paper wrap maybe any type of adhesive coating capable of bonding to either the paperwrap or to itself, or both, or another adhesive. In some embodiments,the adhesive coating may be a water-resistant coating. In someembodiments, the adhesive coating may be an antimicrobial coating. Insome embodiments, the adhesive coating may be heat sealable. In someembodiments, the adhesive coating may be a cold seal adhesive. In someembodiments, the adhesive coating may be heat resistant. In someembodiments, the adhesive coating may be heat sealable to itself. Insome embodiments, the adhesive coating may be heat sealable to the paperwrap. In some embodiments, the adhesive coating may be heat sealable toboth itself and the paper wrap. In some embodiments, there may be morethan one type of adhesive coating applied to different portions of theoutside surface of the paper wrap.

In embodiments where a heat-sealable adhesive is used, the type ofheat-sealable adhesive may be chosen based on properties such as cost,bond strength, and/or heat-sealing conditions. Surprisingly, theinventors have found that adhesives typically used for bonding tissue topaper cores in paper products, or for bonding to plastic films, can alsobe used to form excellent seals in the paper wrapped product of thepresent invention. In some embodiments, the heat-sealable adhesive maybe anon-wax, heat-sealable adhesive. In some embodiments, theheat-sealable adhesive may comprise a polyvinyl alcohol polyvinylacetate, such as a polyvinyl alcohol stabilized vinyl acetatehomopolymer or ethylene vinyl acetate. In some embodiments, theheat-sealable adhesive may comprise styrene butadiene rubber latex. Insome embodiments, the heat-sealable adhesive may comprise polyvinylacrylates. In some embodiments, the heat-sealable adhesive may be H.B.Fuller Pace® 383 adhesive. In some embodiments, the heat-sealableadhesive may be H.B. Fuller Swift® tak adhesive.

In some embodiments, the adhesive may be applied at a coating weight offrom about 0.1 lbs/ream to about 5 lbs/ream, for example, from about 0.3lbs/ream to about 3 lbs/ream, or from about 0.5 lbs/ream to about 2lbs/ream. In some embodiments, for example, wherein the products areindividually wrapped items, the adhesive may be applied at a coatingweight of from about 0.2 lbs/ream to about 1 lbs/ream, or from about0.25 lbs/ream to about 0.5 lbs/ream. In some embodiments, for example,wherein the products are bundled items, the adhesive may be applied at acoating weight of from about 0.25 lbs/ream to about 3 lbs/ream, forexample from about 0.5 lb/ream to about 1.25 lbs/ream. Coat weight isdetermined by the dry coating weight in units of lbs/ream (3,000 squarefeet). As used herein, coat weight is determined relative to the areacoated with the adhesive, not to the total area of the paper wrap. Thus,coat weight is the measure of the dry weight of the adhesive applied toan area of the paper wrap relative to only that area of the surface ofthe paper wrap where the adhesive is applied.

In some embodiments, due to the method of manufacture, the paper wrapmay have one surface that is relatively smooth and one surface that isrelatively rough, for example where the paper wrap is formed on a papermaking machine employing a Yankee dryer. In such embodiments, the smoothside may be utilized as the outside surface. Without wishing to be boundby theory, it is believed that the application of adhesive may beimproved when applied to the smooth side of the paper wrap, meaning thatapplication of a given amount of adhesive on the relatively smooth sideresults in a higher seal strength than application of the same amount ofadhesive on the relatively rough side. In some embodiments, applying theadhesive to both the outside and inside surfaces of the paper wrap maybe preferred, as it increases the strength of both the belly and endseals.

In some embodiments, the outside surface of the paper wrap may have aSheffield Roughness value of less than about 250 Sheff units, forexample less than about 225 Sheff units, or between about 80 to about250 Sheff Units. In some embodiments, the inside surface of the paperwrap may have a Sheffield Roughness value of more than about 300 Sheffunits, for example more than about 340 Sheff units, or between about 300to about 400 Sheff Units. Sheffield Roughness values may be measuredaccording to Tappi T538.

In some embodiments, the portions of the paper wrap that are sealed withadhesive may have a max load seal strength of from about 8 to about 1200g_(f)/inch width, for example from about 10 to about 400 g_(f)/inchwidth. This ensures that the seal strength is sufficient to seal thewrapper around the product during transport and storage, but not sostrong as to impair the user from removing the wrapper or to cause fibertear to the wrap or paper product when unwrapping. In some embodiments,the adhesive seals the wrap but does not cause fiber tear to the wrap orpaper product when unwrapping. Without wishing to be bound by theory, itis believed that the portions of the paper wrap that are bonded byadhesive to adhesive bonds exhibit a higher max load seal strength thanthose bonded by adhesive to paper bonds.

In some embodiments, for example, wherein the products are individuallywrapped items, the belly seal may have a max load seal strength of fromabout 8 to about 50 g_(f)/inch width, for example from about 10 to about25 g_(f)/inch width, and the end seals may have a max load seal strengthof from about 75 to about 150 g_(f)/inch width, for example from about80 to about 120 g_(f)/inch width. In some embodiments, for example,wherein the products are individually wrapped items, both the belly sealand the end seals may have a max load seal strength of from about 75 toabout 150 g_(f)/inch width, for example from about 80 to about 120g_(f)/inch width. In some embodiments, for example, wherein the productsare bundled items, the belly seal may have a max load seal strength offrom about 8 to about 50 g_(f)/inch width, and the end seals may have amax load seal strength of from about 150 to about 800 g_(f)/inch width,for example from about 200 g_(f)/inch width to about 400 g_(f)/inchwidth. In some embodiments, for example, wherein the products arebundled items, both the belly seal and the end seals may have a max loadseal strength of from about 150 to about 800 g_(f)/inch width, forexample from about 200 g_(f)/inch width to about 400 g_(f)/inch width.

Max load seal strength was measured according to the following method. Apaper wrapped product was obtained. The paper wrap was fully unwrappedand laid flat, and a location where the paper wrap was coated with anadhesive, but not sealed to another portion of the paper wrap orotherwise disturbed during the wrapping process, was identified toevaluate max load seal strength at that location (for example, at theend seals or belly seal). From that location, two identical samplestrips were cut from the paper wrap of 1 inch width (Cross-Direction) byat least 2 inches long (Machine Direction), with at least the first 1inch of the length of each sample strip being an area where the twostrips were not adhesively sealed to one another when wrapped around theproduct. The strips were then placed together, and the first 1 inch oflength was sealed by heat activation of the adhesive in a heat sealermachine at 300 F.° and 5 PSI for a dwell time of 0.5 seconds for paperwith a basis weight of equal to or less than 20 lbs/3000 ft² or at 320F.° and 5 PSI for a dwell time of 0.5 seconds for paper with a basisweight of more than 20 lbs/3000 ft². This resulted in the first 1 inchof the length of the sample strips being sealed together, with theremaining length of each sample strip being an unsealed “tail”. Thesealed sample strip was then placed in an Instron Tensile Tester, withthe Instron set up with 20 lb. load cell and 1″ grips on the top andbottom. The 1 inch sealed area of the test strip was held perpendicularto the Instron jaws, and the unsealed tail from each sample strip wasclamped in each of the jaws at 90° angle from the sealed area. Peelspeed for the Instron Tensile testers was set for 2″/min and peeleduntil the sealed area releases entirely. The results of the strength ing_(f)/inch width needed to completely separate the sealed strip wasmeasured by the Tensile Tester and plotted in a graph from the pointwhere there is no slack in the samples and the seal begins to release atone end to the point at which the end of the sealed area releases. Themax load seal strength is the strength in g_(f)/inch width at the peak(or highest plateau) of the plotted graph. The average seal strength mayalso be determined as the average strength in g_(f)/inch width over theentire plotted graph. Any visible fiber tear in the seal area shouldalso be noted.

In some embodiments, the at least one adhesive coated on the portions ofthe paper wrap covering the top and bottom surfaces of the product(forming the end seals) may be the same as the adhesive coated on theportions of the paper wrap covering the at least one side surface of theproduct (forming the belly seal). In some embodiments, the at least oneadhesive coated on the portions of the paper wrap covering the top andbottom surfaces of the product (forming the end seals) may be differentfrom the adhesive coated on the portions of the paper wrap covering theat least one side surface of the product (forming the belly seal). Thismay be seen in FIGS. 4, 6, 8, and 10 , which show different shading forthe horizontal solid shaded areas that comprise the first, second,third, and fourth portions of the outside surface of the paper wrap andthe vertical solid shaded areas comprising the fifth and/or sixthportions of the outside surface of the paper wrap.

In some embodiments, for example in the case of a roll or bundleproduct, it may be desirable for the adhesive coated on the portions ofthe paper wrap covering the top and bottom surfaces of the product(forming the end seals) to be chosen to form a stronger bond than theadhesive coated on the portions of the paper wrap covering the sidesurface (forming the belly seal). In some embodiments, for examplewherein the products are individually wrapped items, the max load sealstrength on the ends of the roll product (e.g. between the first andsecond portions of the outside surface of the paper wrap and between thethird and fourth portions of the outside surface of the paper wrap) maybe from about 35 g_(f)/inch width to about 125 g_(f)/inch width (forexample, from about 50 g_(f)/inch width to about 100 g_(f)/inch width)and the max load seal strength on the side seal of the product (e.g.,between the fifth portion of the outside surface of the paper wrap andthe first portion of the inside surface of the paper wrap) may be fromabout 10 g_(f)/inch width to about 50 g_(f)/inch width (for example,from about 15 g_(f)/inch width to about 45 g_(f)/inch width). In someembodiments, for example wherein the products are bundled items, the maxload seal strength on the ends of the bundled product (e.g. between thefirst and second portions of the outside surface of the paper wrap andbetween the third and fourth portions of the outside surface of thepaper wrap) may be from about 225 g_(f)/inch width to about 375g_(f)/inch width (for example, from about 250 g_(f)/inch width to about350 g_(f)/inch width) and the max load seal strength on the side seal ofthe product (e.g., between the fifth portion of the outside surface ofthe paper wrap and the first portion of the inside surface of the paperwrap) may be from about 200 g_(f)/inch width to about 250 g_(f)/inchwidth (for example, from about 210 g_(f)/inch width to about 240g_(f)/inch width). Conversely, in some embodiments, it may be desirablefor the adhesive bond on the top and bottom surfaces (the “ends”) to beweaker than on the side surface (“the belly”).

In some embodiments, the adhesive used on the portions of the paper wrapcovering the top and bottom surfaces of the product (forming the endseals) may be chosen such that it is better at bonding to itself than tothe paper wrap and the adhesive used on the portion of the paper wrapcovering the side surface of the product (forming the belly seal) may bechosen such that it is better at bonding to the paper wrap than toitself.

In some embodiments, adhesive is applied to portions totaling at least25% of the total outside surface of the paper wrap, for example, atleast about 35%, at least about 50%, at least about 75%, orsubstantially 100%. In some embodiments, the at least one adhesive isapplied to portions comprising between about 20% to about 80% of thetotal outside surface of the paper wrap, for example, from about 25% toabout 75%, or from about 35% to about 65%. In some embodiments, adhesivemay also be applied to portions totaling at least 25% of the totalinside surface of the paper wrap, for example, at least about 35%, atleast about 50%, at least about 75%, or substantially 100%.

In some embodiments, the at least one adhesive may be applied toportions of the outside surface of the paper wrap as uniform or arrangedin one or more patterns. The patterns may comprise discrete shapes ordesigns, such as repeating stripes, dots, squares, triangles, or anyother design such that the adhesive coverage in that coated portion isless than uniform (“uniform” coverage meaning that the pattern covers100% of the surface area of the coated portion). In some embodiments,the pattern may provide less than about 90% coverage of the surface areaof the coated portion, such as less than about 75% coverage, less thanabout 50% coverage, less than about 25% coverage, or less than about 7%coverage. In some embodiments, the pattern may provide between about 25%coverage and about 75% coverage, such as from about 40% coverage toabout 60% coverage. In some embodiments, the at least one adhesive maybe applied to one or more portions of the paper wrap in a first patternand one or more portions of the paper wrap in a second pattern. In someembodiments, the at least one adhesive may be applied to the first,second, third, and/or fourth portions of the outside surface of thepaper wrap in a first non-uniform pattern (such as from about 40%coverage to about 60% coverage) and at least one adhesive may be appliedto the fifth and/or sixth portions of the outside surface of the paperwrap in a uniform 100% coverage pattern. FIGS. 11-14 show exemplaryembodiments wherein a paper wrap according to the present invention wascoated with adhesive applied in a vertical line in a 100% coveragepattern corresponding to the area that forms the belly seal and in twohorizontal lines corresponding to the areas that form the end seals incoverage patterns of 100%, 50%, 25%, and 7%.

Having adhesive bonded to the product itself may negatively affect theproduct and is therefore preferably avoided. In some embodiments,adhesive is coated on the outside surface of the paper wrap such that,when wrapped around the product, less than at least about 10% of the atleast one adhesive applied to the outside surface of the paper wrap, forexample, less than about 5%, or less than about 1% contacts the product.In this way, any bond formed between the adhesive and the productitself, as well as any resulting damage or tearing to the product, maybe minimized when the wrapper is removed from the product.

Similarly, exposed adhesive on the outside of the product after wrappingmay lead to excess blocking when the paper wrapped products are stackedone on top of another and exposed to ambient heat and stack loadpressure during, for example, transportation or storage of the products.By minimizing the amount of adhesive that remains exposed on the outsideof the wrapped product after wrapping, blocking caused by any bonding ofexposed adhesive on the outside of one product to exposed adhesive onthe outside of another product may be minimized when the products arestacked or bundled together. In some embodiments, adhesive is coated onthe outside surface of the paper wrap such that less than about 50% ofthe adhesive coating remains exposed on the outside of the product afterwrapping. In some embodiments, adhesive is coated on the outside surfaceof the paper wrap such that less than about 35% of the adhesive coatingremains exposed on the outside of the product after wrapping, forexample less than about 20%, less than about 10%, or less than about 5%.

FIGS. 5 and 6 disclose exemplary embodiments of one way in which theamount of adhesive remaining exposed on the outside of the paper wrapafter wrapping may be minimized, for example, by applying the adhesivein a non-uniform geometry where adhesive is strategically applied in theareas where the outside surface of the paper wrap is most likely tooverlay itself after wrapping (shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 in the shadedareas) and where adhesive is not applied in areas of the outside surfaceof the paper wrap that are most likely to remain exposed after wrapping(shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 as triangular cutouts in the horizontal shadedareas). As shown in FIGS. 2A-2D, the areas where adhesive may be avoidedmay be identified by wrapping the product, marking those areas leftexposed on the outside of the product and those areas where the paperwrap overlaps itself, and then unwrapping the wrap to show the fullgeometry of where adhesive should be applied. FIG. 7 similarly depictsan exemplary configuration wherein adhesive is not applied to the farright edge of the outside surface of the paper wrap, an area likely toremain exposed after wrapping. These exemplary embodiments thusdemonstrate ways in which the amount of adhesive remaining exposed onthe outside of the paper wrap after wrapping may be minimized andtherefore excess blocking when the paper wrapped products are stackedone on top of another may be avoided.

In some embodiments, the outside surface of the paper wrap mayadditionally be “printed” to include markings, for example decorativeelements, patterns, or informational markings, such as text or eyemarks. In some embodiments, the markings may be made by printing inks.

The present application further discloses methods for making improvedpaper wrapped products according to the disclosed embodiments whichcomprise: covering a product in a paper wrap; the product having a topsurface, a bottom surface, and at least one side surface; the paper wraphaving an inside surface and an outside surface; said coveringcomprising folding back a first portion of the outside surface of thepaper wrap to overlay a second portion of the outside surface of thepaper wrap at a position covering the top surface of the product,folding back a third portion of the outside surface of the paper wrap tooverlay a fourth portion of the outside surface of the paper wrap at aposition covering the bottom surface of the product, and overlaying afirst portion of the inside surface of the paper wrap over a fifthportion of the outside surface of the paper wrap at a position coveringat least one side surface of the product; coating at least one of thefirst and second portions of the outside surface of the paper wrap withat least one first adhesive, coating at least one of the third andfourth portions of the outside surface of the paper wrap with at leastone second adhesive, and coating the fifth portion of the outsidesurface of the paper wrap with at least one third adhesive; and bondingwith the at least one adhesive each of (i) the first portion of theoutside surface of the paper wrap to the second portion of the outsidesurface of the paper wrap, (ii) the third portion of the outside surfaceof the paper wrap to the fourth portion of the outside surface of thepaper wrap, and (iii) the fifth portion of the outside surface of thepaper wrap to the first portion of the inside surface of the paper wrap.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises “printing” the outsidesurface of the paper wrap to include markings, for example decorativeelements, patterns, or informational markings, such as text or eyemarks. In some embodiments, the markings may be made by printing inks.In some embodiments, the markings (for example those made by printinginks) may be applied to the outside surface of the paper wrap first, andthe adhesive may be applied to the outside surface of the paper wrapsecond, such that the adhesive is applied on top of the markings wherethe adhesive coverage overlaps the coverage of markings. In someembodiments, the markings (for example those made by printing inks) andthe adhesive may be simultaneously applied to the outside surface of thepaper wrap. In some embodiments, the markings (for example those made byprinting inks) may be applied to areas of the outside surface of thepaper wrap that overlap with or are the same as the areas of the outsidesurface of the paper wrap where adhesive is applied. In someembodiments, the markings (for example those made by printing inks) maybe applied to areas of the outside surface of the paper wrap that areseparate from the areas of the outside surface of the paper wrap whereadhesive is applied.

In some embodiments, the adhesive may be applied using various coatingmethods such as rod coating, direct gravure coating, indirect gravurecoating, blade coating, air knife coating, or flexographic printcoating. In some embodiments, using flexographic print coating may bepreferred, since the adhesive can be applied to the outside of the paperwrap during the same manufacturing step as printing or marking the paperwrap. Flexographic printing presses can apply multiple bumps of coatingin a single pass in order to achieve higher coating weights and canregister areas to be coated corresponding to the seal area portions aswell as 100% coverage over the entire wrap.

The paper may be wrapped around the product by hand or using a wrappingmachine, for example a heat seal wrap machine. In some embodiments, theat least one adhesive may be heat-sealed at a temperature of betweenabout 200° F. to about 700° F., for example, from about 300° F. to about650° F., from about 450° F. to about 600° F., or from about 450° F. toabout 500° F. In some embodiments, the at least one adhesive may beheat-sealed at a pressure of from about 0.5 to about 5 psi, for example,from about 0.5 to about 3 psi, or from about 0.5 to about 2 psi, or fromabout 0.5 to about 1 psi. In some embodiments, the pressure on the endsmay be from about 0.5 to about 2 psi, while the pressure on the side (or“belly”) may be from about 0.5 to about 1 psi.

Descriptions of the disclosed embodiments are not exhaustive and are notlimited to the precise forms or exemplary embodiments disclosed.Modifications and adaptations of the exemplary embodiments will beapparent from consideration of the specification and practice of thedisclosed embodiments.

EXAMPLES Example 1

Paper wraps coated with adhesive in differing coverage patterns werewrapped around individual coreless tissue roll products on a heat sealwrap machine and then examined. The roll width was 3.85″ and the rolloutside diameter was 4.75″. The paper wrap used was 15 lbs/3000 ft² (15#) printed bleached (BL) machine glazed (MG) paper (15#BL MG). Theadhesive used was H.B. Fuller Pace® 383 adhesive. The coverage patternsvaried from 100% coverage patterns to 7% coverage patterns, as shown inFIGS. 11-14 .

The paper wraps were folded around each bath tissue roll such that afirst portion of the outside surface of the paper wrap was folded backto overlay a second portion of the outside surface of the paper wrap ata position covering the top surface of the product; a third portion ofthe outside surface of the paper wrap was folded back to overlay afourth portion of the outside surface of the paper wrap at a positioncovering the bottom surface of the product; and a first portion of theinside surface of the paper wrap overlaid a fifth portion of the outsidesurface of the paper wrap at a position covering the side surface of theroll product. The adhesive was applied to each of the first, second,third, fourth, and fifth portions of the paper wrap. The adhesivecoating was applied to the smooth side of the paper wrap (the outsidesurface) at 0.5 to 0.7 lbs/3000 ft² dry coat weight. The SheffieldRoughness value of the outside surface of the paper wrap was 230 Sheffunits.

Each of the patterns was ranked based on seal performance. To beconsidered successful, the paper wrapper must have been securely sealedflat on each end and the belly seal must have been able to hold theoverlap in place to protect the product. When opening the paper wrapper,the end seals should peel apart without fiber tear to the wrap. The wrapshould come off in one piece with minimal effort or frustration. Thegoal of this trial was to determine if applying the adhesive indifferent coverage patterns could improve the overall performance of thewrap.

The initial conditions were as follows: (1) belly seals and two endseals were required; (2) the end seal temperature was set at 350° F.;(3) the end seal pressure was set to 2-3 psi; (4) the belly sealtemperature was set at 450° F.; and (5) the steady state temperature wasset, confirming that the seal temperature was holding steady at +/−5° F.before running.

For each variable trial, with the seal temperatures at steady state,about 10 rolls were run at a speed of 100 rolls/min or higher and shutdown. The heat seals were then peeled apart by hand to determine howwell the product was sealed. If the seals were approved, 100 rolls wererun. The wrapped rolls were then stacked in suitable corrugate boxes (5ft×4 ft×4 ft), labeled, and placed on pallets. The trial was then re-runwith the next variable wrapper and the results checked for each. Thechange in seal appearance and amount of force needed to unwrap the sealsfor each variable trial was noted. If the seals were too weak, thetemperature and/or pressure was increased as needed, with a maxtemperature of 600° F.

The method of analysis involved: (1) unwrapping the rolls by handstarting with the belly strip and then to the end seals; (2) the wrapperwas expected to be removed in a single piece with minor to no tearing;(3) the seal should be strong enough to hold the wrapper in place withno excess wrapping sticking out, with flat end seals; and (4) the bellyseal should prevent open contact with the product but take less forcethan the end seals to open.

The desired seal strength success criteria were defined as follows. Forthe ends (top and bottom) seals: less than 25% fiber tear, surface fibertear only, and no fiber tearing through the sheet or shredding of thewrapper to open. For the belly (side) seals: 0% fiber tear and weak sealstrength with enough bond to hold the overlap tail down without visuallyexposing the product. The wrap must open easily with minimal exertion;the wrapped roll seal must be sealed well enough that the ends arepressed together tightly and acquire a clean appearance; the wrappedroll's seal must be able to endure a single 3 ft belly or edge droptest; and the adhesive coating must release cleanly and, from a visualinspection, not significantly build up on the Teflon® seal belts of thewrapper machine. The results of the seal strength test are shown inTable 1 below.

TABLE 1 Heat Seal Tack Bond ID Adhesive Coverage Temp (F.) Level 1 100%Coverage Lanes 600° F. High 2 50% Coverage Stripes 600° F. Medium 3 25%Coverage Squares 600° F. Low 4 7% Coverage Dots 600° F. Very Low

Key Tack Bond Level* Failed/Passed Fiber Tear Fail: Seal too strong HighPass: Acceptable Medium Pass: Target Low Pass: Acceptable Very Low Fail:No seal strength *Tack Bond Level was based on feel when opening thewrap and removing it from roll.

Samples of paper wrapped coreless bath tissue rolls were also preparedaccording to Table 2 below and placed in an environmental chamber for 48hours to test the potential for blocking while being transported in avariety of different environments, including varying temperatures, from110° F. to 130° F. and 50% Relative Humidity. The wrapped rolls wereplaced on top of each other with a 25-pound weight evenly displacedbetween them. The objective of this test was to identify if blocking isa problem with the adhesives at this temperature range (the estimatedtemperature range the final wrapped product may encounter duringshipment). The results of the blocking test are shown in Table 2 below.

TABLE 2 Blocking Test Results: % Adhesive Blocking Coverage Seal ChamberPotential Pattern Temperature, ° F. Temperature, ° F. (Visual Rating)100%  600° F. 110° F. Low 100%  600° F. 120° F. Low 100%  600° F. 130°F. Low 100%  450° F. 110° F. Low 100%  450° F. 120° F. Low 100%  450° F.130° F. Low 50% 550° F. 110° F. Slight 50% 550° F. 120° F. Slight 50%550° F. 130° F. Slight 50% 600° F. 120° F. Slight 50% 600° F. 130° F.Slight 25% 600° F. 120° F. None 25% 600° F. 130° F. None

Based on the Results shown in Table 1, the 7% adhesive coverage patternwas found to be less desirable due to the lack of seal strength and thelooseness of the wrapper. The 25% adhesive coverage pattern was found tobe better, but still less desirable for end seal strength. The 50%adhesive coverage pattern was found to be preferred and the 100%coverage pattern was at the high end of the acceptable range. Based onblocking tests, the 25% or 50% coverage patterns were deemed preferable.

In general, the higher the adhesive coverage, the higher the bond thatwas noticed when opening the end of the wrap. It was noted by thoseopening the rolls that it appeared that the 50% adhesive coveragepattern samples seemed preferable for the tack bond level and met thefollowing criteria: (a) less than 25% fiber tear; (b) the wrap openedeasily with minimal frustration or effort; (c) the wrapped roll wassealed well enough to make a clean, neat package; and (d) the adhesivecoating released cleanly and did not build up on the Teflon® seal belts.

The inventors learned that, surprisingly, the strongest seals were madewhen the adhesive was applied to each of the first, second, third, andfourth portions of the outside surface of the paper wrap correspondingto the area under flaps 1 and/or 2 labeled in FIGS. 2A-2C. At theselocations, the heat can penetrate the paper with less resistance tocreate adhesive-to-adhesive bonds.

Based on the results in Table 2, the higher adhesive coverage patternswere found to have a higher potential to result in blocking betweenlayers of rolls when stacked together or packaged together as a bundleinside poly bags. However, the blocking testing confirmed that even atthe 100% adhesive coverage pattern, while keeping the storagetemperature below 130° F., there was only a limited amount of blockingbetween layers of products.

Example 2

A second trial was held to evaluate possible sheet count and adhesivecoverage combinations. Sheet count refers to the number of sheets in theroll product tested, where the diameter of the roll product was heldconstant for all samples. In general, increasing the number of sheets ina roll product of constant diameter leads to an increase in density andhardness of the roll. In general, the harder the roll, the higher theeffective heat seal pressure. Table 3 outlines the combinations testedin the trial. The same 15 #BL MG paper and adhesive coating process asdiscussed in Example 1 was used to produce the wrap.

TABLE 3 % Adhesive Sheet Count Coverage Pattern Seal Temp. 505 50% 600°F. 505 25% 600° F. 555 50% 600° F. 555 25% 600° F. 605 50% 600° F. 60525% 600° F. 705 50% 600° F. 705 25% 600° F.

The samples were evaluated for qualitative seal strength and blocking.The qualitative seal strength evaluation was a visual test assessing thequality of the seal strength. For the qualitative seal strengthevaluation, rolls were removed from each case and, upon removal, thewraps on the rolls were removed by hand by inserting a hand in throughthe belly seal and lifting the roll. The rolls were then ranked on ascale of 1 to 5, according to the criteria outlined in the key for Table4 below. A 1 or 5 rating results in a failure, while a 2 to 4 ratingresults in a pass. The results of the qualitative seal strengthevaluation are shown in Table 4 below:

TABLE 4 Seal Strength Evaluation - Results Percent Average Seal StrengthSample # Sheet Count Coverage Rating Pass/Fail  1-15 505 25% 2.1 15 Pass16-31 605 25% 2.1 14 Pass/1 Fail 32-48 505 50% 2.4 15 Pass 49-64 705 25%2.6 15 Pass 65-81 705 50% 2.8 15 Pass 82-98 555 50% 3.1 15 Pass  99-115555 25% 1.9 12 Pass/3 Fail 116-131 605 50% 3.3 14 Pass/1 Fail

Key Fail Pass Pass Pass Fail 1 2 3 4 5 Very poor Weak Okay Strong Verystrong Seal Seal Seal does Supports the Have to be immediately comes notcome hold test and shaken comes undone undone undone needs to beviolently once touched when when lifted, shaken and/or have a lifted butcannot to come fiber tear to handle undone come undone shaking

The qualitative seal strength evaluation indicated that adhesive in a50% coverage pattern leads to an overall stronger seal. Other resultsdemonstrated that: (a) the 505 sheet count roll was soft, resulting inweak seal strength and (b) the 555 sheet count with adhesive in a 50%coverage pattern combination had optimal seal strength as all rolls hada passing rating of either 3 or 4 (with the exception of two rollsamples with a rating of 2). The 555 and 605 sheet count with adhesivein a 50% coverage pattern combinations had an average rating of a ‘3’ ormore, meeting the defined target.

The blocking test was again used to evaluate how the adhesive coverageaffects sticking and fiber tear of the wrap when rolls are stackedtogether, replicating that of storage and transportation conditions. Forthe blocking test, two rolls were stacked on top of each other andplaced in parallel with another stack. A 25-pound weight was equallydistributed across the top of the rolls. The rolls were then placed in aconditioned environmental chamber for 48 hours, and the chamber wasadjusted to stay at a temperature of 120° F. and a relative humidity of80%. After 48 hours, the rolls were removed in their current condition.The tester then slowly removed the top roll from the bottom roll andevaluated the sticking and/or fiber tear of the wrap. Any resultingfiber tear to the rolls or overwrap was considered a ‘fail.’

The blocking test demonstrated that use of adhesive in a 50% coveragepattern resulted in slightly more blocking than use of adhesive in a 25%coverage pattern. However, utilization of the 50% coverage pattern didnot result in an unacceptable level of blocking. There was no resultingfiber tear from either the 25% or 50% coverage patterns.

Based on the results of both tests, a preferred sheet count and adhesivecoverage combination would include 555 sheets with adhesive in a 50%coverage pattern. None of the 25% adhesive coverage pattern variationsfell within the target. Neither the 25% nor 50% adhesive coveragepattern 505 sheet count variations fell within the target. 705 sheetcount with 50% adhesive coverage pattern also fell short of the target.A graphic depiction of these results is shown in FIG. 15 .

While higher adhesive coverage patterns do result in more blocking, thiscan be reduced by strategically omitting the adhesive from portions thatremain on the outside surface of the paper wrap after wrapping as shownin FIGS. 5-8 . Post-trial testing revealed that blocking was occurringprimarily on the top and bottom flaps of the roll, though there was noresulting fiber tear.

Example 3

A third trial was held to understand the feasibility and performance ofa paper overwrap design for a bath tissue bundle to replace typicallyused poly film paper wraps. The design of the paper overwrap for thebath tissue bundle tested in this trial utilized the same technologydiscussed above in Example 1, wherein a heat sealable adhesive coatingwas applied to the wrapper and heat sealed to itself at the end of eachroll where the excess wrapper was folded back to overlay other portionsof the outside surface of the paper wrap. However, in this trial thepaper wrap was applied to a bundle of bath tissue rolls instead ofindividual rolls.

The initial feasibility trial was done wherein the paper wrap utilized100% coverage of the heat sealable adhesive coating with a dry coatweight of 1.5 #/ream. The paper wraps used were 25 lbs/3000 ft² (25 #)and 30 lbs/3000 ft² (30 #) MG paper. The adhesive used was H.B. FullerPace® 383 adhesive. The Sheffield Roughness value of the outside surfacewas 200 to 250 Sheff units, while the Sheffield Roughness value of theinside surface was 300 to 350 Sheff units. Similar to the wrap utilizedin the trial discussed in Example 1 with the individual coreless bathtissue roll, the wrap in this trial consisted of two end seals and aside (belly) seal, as shown in FIGS. 16 and 17 . Seven different designvariations were assessed, as described in Table 5 below. As used herein,“C1S” is defined as having adhesive coating on only either the outsideor the inside surface of the paper wrap. As used herein, “C2S” isdefined as having adhesive coating on both the outside and the insidesurfaces of the paper wrap.

TABLE 5 Basis Weight C1S or Temperature Coated side in or lbs/ream C2S?(degrees F.) coated side out? Belly seal? 25 C1S 500 Inside No 25 C1S500 Outside No 25 C1S 600 Outside No 30 C1S 600 Inside No 30 C1S 600Outside No 25 C2S 600 Both Yes 30 C2S 600 Both Yes

Initial trial testing included heat seal strength testing, whichmeasured three variables at increasing temperatures (170-400° F.): (1)average peel force, maximum load, and estimated percentage of fibertear. The seal time was 0.5 seconds, the pressure was 5 psi, and thelower jaw was left at room temperature. Both the 25 lbs/3000 ft² (25 #)and 30 lbs/3000 ft² (30 #) paper were tested.

Results of the heat seal strength testing indicated generally that astemperature was increased, average peel force and fiber tear percentageincreased. In order to achieve a balance between opening the packagewithout frustration and having enough seal strength to preventtampering, a percent fiber tear of at least 40% or higher may bedesired. The results demonstrated that, in order to achieve a fiber tearpercentage of 40% or higher, a temperature of 200° F. or higher may bedesired. The results also demonstrated that, even at a fiber tearpercentage of 100%, maximum load is only between 200-400 g_(f)/inchwidth. This may be due to the wrap containing 100% recycled fibercontent. If the wrap contained a higher amount of virgin fiber, maximumload values may exceed 1,000 g_(f)/inch width or higher.

Initial trial testing also included seal strength rating, wherein arating scale of both the end seals and the belly seal was created, whichcan be seen in Table 6 below. The seals were rated on a scale from a 1to 5, with a 1 being a very poor seal and a 5 being a very strong seal.Any rating from 2 to 4 is a pass, while any rating that is a 1 or 5 is afail. The target rating is a 3.

TABLE 6 Rating Scale 1 2 3 4 5 Fail Pass Pass Pass Fail Very poor WeakOkay Strong Very strong *Seal *Seal comes *Seal comes *Seal comes*Product is immediately undone with undone with undone with difficult/comes undone minimal tearing tearing and frustrating to once touchedtearing with with a requires a open and has and requires no resultingfiber tear rigorous to be torn no tearing fiber tear fiber tearaggressively in order to be opened to be opened

Samples of each variable were opened, and the seal strength of both theend seals and belly seal were rated from 1 to 5. Results are shown inTable 7.

TABLE 7 Basis Inside or Belly Weight C1S or Temperature Outside BellyEnd Seal Seal lbs/ream C2S? (degrees F.) Coated? Seal? Quality Quality25 C1S 500° F. Inside No 3 1 25 C1S 500° F. Outside No 2 1 25 C1S 600°F. Outside No 3 1 30 C1S 600° F. Inside No 4 1 30 C1S 600° F. Outside No2 1 25 C2S 600° F. Both Yes 4 2 30 C2S 600° F. Both Yes 4 2

Initial trial testing also included product sticking rating, wherein thesame test used in the seal strength test was used for the productsticking test—i.e., how much, if at all, the wrapper was sticking to theproduct and how much, if any, damage was caused to the product. Usingthe rating system shown in Table 8 below, once the product was removedfrom the package, it was rated on sticking from a 1 to 5. A 1 ratingindicated no sticking to the product, while a 5 indicated a large amountof damage to the product. The target rating is a 1 or 2.

TABLE 8 Rating Scale 1 2 3 4 5 Pass Pass Pass - Warning Fail Fail NoSticking Minimal Sticking Small Amount of Medium Amount of Large Amountof Product Product Damage Product Damage Damage *Overwrap *Overwrapsticks *Overwrap sticks to *Overwrap sticks to *Overwrap sticks to thedoes not stick to the product, but the product but is the product and isproduct and is very to the product is easy to remove easy to remove.difficult to remove and difficult to remove and at all and the productis However, removing results in a medium results in a large amount notdamaged the wrap results in amount of product of product damage a smallamount of damage product damage

Once opened, all product was removed from the package and examined forany sticking and/or product damage, as shown in Table 9.

TABLE 9 Basis Inside or Weight C1S or Temperature Outside Productlbs/ream C2S? (degrees F.) Coated? Belly Seal? Sticking 25 C1S 500Inside No 1 25 C1S 500 Outside No 1 25 C1S 600 Outside No 1 30 C1S 600Inside No 2 30 C1S 600 Outside No 1 25 C2S 600 Both Yes 2 30 C2S 600Both Yes 2

Results demonstrated that use of adhesive on both the outside and insidesurfaces of the paper wrap resulted in a stronger belly seal andstronger end seals. And while there was slight product sticking, theredid not appear to be product damage in ambient conditions. Additionaltesting was conducted to understand the performance of the initialdesigns, as discussed in Examples 4 and 5 below.

Example 4

A runnability trial was conducted to apply machine modifications tooptimize the paper wrap with goals of increasing the belly seal strengthand reducing wrinkles in the wrap. For example, new seal bar andcontrast bars were installed and spacing adjusted. The pressure wasfurther decreased to decrease wrinkles in the paper. The trial wassuccessful in meeting these goals.

The 25 #bleached C2S paper wrap with 1.0 # of coating ran well, as therewere minimal runnability issues and no hard wrinkles. The 1.0 #coatingwas sufficient in providing a much stronger belly seal than what wasseen in earlier feasibility trials.

Heat seal strength testing was again conducted. For the heat sealstrength testing, the peel force and percent fiber tear was measured onoutside-to-outside coating contact, inside-to-outside coating contact,and inside-to-inside coating contact.

Results of the heat seal strength testing indicated that in order toachieve a balance between opening the package without frustration andhaving enough seal strength to prevent tampering, a max load sealstrength sufficient to obtain a percent fiber tear of at least 40% orhigher upon unwrapping may be preferred. The results demonstrated that,in order to achieve a fiber tear percentage of 40% or higher, atemperature range of 200-300° F. or higher may be preferred when sealingthe adhesive. The results also demonstrated that, at a fiber tearpercentage of 100%, the maximum max load seal strength may preferably bebetween 150-300 g_(f)/inch width for the 1.0 #coating and between200-400 g_(f)/inch width for the 1.5 #coating. Therefore, as coatingweight is increased, the amount of force it takes to open the paper wrapwill be higher (i.e. more seal strength).

Seal strength testing was also conducted in this trial. Samples of eachvariable were opened, and the seal strength of both the end seals andbelly seal were rated from 1 to 5. Results are shown in Table 10.

TABLE 10 Basis Coating Inside or Weight C1S or Weight Outside Belly EndSeal Belly Seal lbs/ream C2S? lbs/ream Coated? Seal? Quality Quality 25C2S 1 Both Yes 3.5 3 30 C2S 1 Both Yes 3 2 30 C2S 1.5 Both Yes 3 3

Results of the seal strength testing in this trial indicated that,compared to the initial feasibility trial, the average belly seal ratingimproved on both the 25 #wrap with 1.0 # of coating and the 30 #wrapwith 1.5 # of coating. Both increased from an average rating of 2 to anaverage rating of 3. The rating on the 30 #wrap with 1.0 # of coatingremained the same, with a rating of 2. Thus, the trial was successful inincreasing seal strength.

Product sticking rating was also determined in this trial. Once opened,all product was removed from the package and examined for any stickingand/or product damage. Results are shown in Table 11.

TABLE 11 Basis C1S Coating Inside or Weight or Weight Outside BellyProduct lbs/ream C2S? lbs/ream Coated? Seal? Sticking 25 C2S 1 Both Yes1 30 C2S 1 Both Yes 1 30 C2S 1.5 Both Yes 1

Results of the product sticking rating test in this trial indicate that,compared to the initial feasibility trial, the product stickingdecreased from an average rating of 2 to an average rating of 1. This islikely due to the decrease in coating weight on the samples (1.0# ofcoating vs 1.5 # of coating).

Example 5

A Sheffield smoothness test was conducted by the physical test lab aswell. For the 25 #MG paper wrap, the Sheffield Roughness values were 211Sheff units on the outside surface and 324 Sheff units on the insidesurface. For the 30 #MG paper wrap, both sides were rougher, and theSheffield Roughness value for the outside surface was 251 Sheff units,while the value for the inside surface was 358 Sheff units. Thisindicated that a minimum coating weight of 1.0 # for the 25 # paper and1.5 # for the 30 # paper may be preferred. Heavier coating weights mayalso be feasible as long as the seal bar temperatures are adjusted asneeded. Other types of paper which can be made smoother and may run withlower coating weights could potentially be used.

As noted above, in general, this test showed that the 30 # paper isrougher than the 25 # paper (see Table 12 below). Therefore, becausethere is a significant difference in smoothness between the 25 # and 30# paper, the 25 # paper, which is smoother, will have a better coatingapplication.

TABLE 12 Average Average Sheffield Sheffield Roughness, Roughness,Outside - Inside - Sample Description Sheff Units Sheff Units 1 25#Bleached MG Toilet 211 324 Tissue Overwrap (100% recycled fibercontent), with 1.0 # HB Fuller Pace ® 383, C2S, Printed 2 30# BleachedMG Toilet 251 358 Tissue Overwrap (100% recycled fiber content), with1.0 # HB Fuller Pace ® 383, C2S, Printed 3 30# Bleached MG Toilet 253353 Tissue Overwrap (100% recycled fiber content), with 1.5 # HB FullerPace ® 383, C2S, Printed

Samples were submitted to the microscopy lab to a) understand theoverall performance of the coating, b) understand how much the roughnessof the paper affects coating distribution, c) aid in making arecommendation on basis weight, and d) aid in making a recommendation oncoating weight. The lab performed three tests on the samples: ScanningElectron Microscopy (SEM), 3D Laser Confocal, and Micro CT Scan.

Utilizing the images captured through the SEM, both the roughness of thepaper and the application of the coating were observed between the 25 #and 30 # paper. The 25#paper was smoother and had a better applicationand distribution of coating as there was less contrast in the topographyof the image. The 30 # paper had a lot more contrast and noticeablefibers and speckles that indicated, from a qualitative perspective, thatthe coating application was less consistently distributed.Qualitatively, it appears that the 25 #/1.0#sample showed slightlyimproved coating. There was not a noticeable difference between the 1.0# and 1.5 #coating using SEM.

Through the images and topography captured with the 3D laser confocaland the micro-CT scan, there appeared to be a minimal qualitativedifference between structure of two samples. There was a larger degreeof spacing observed in the 30 #/1.0 #sample between layers.

Key takeaways from this trial included the following: (1) smoother paperwith a heavier adhesive coating leads to stronger belly and end seals,(2) there were minimal runnability issues on the 25 # paper, and (3)there were runnability issues on the 30 # paper due to the hardwrinkles.

1-51. (canceled)
 52. A paper wrap comprising: a planar sheet of paper;the planar sheet of paper having a first surface and a second surface;wherein at least one portion of the first surface of the paper wrapcomprises printed markings; wherein at least one portion of the firstsurface of the paper wrap is coated with at least one adhesive; andwherein the at least one adhesive covers between about 20% and about 80%of the first surface of the paper wrap.
 53. The paper wrap of claim 52,wherein the at least one adhesive covers between about 35% and about 65%of the first surface of the paper wrap.
 54. The paper wrap of claim 52,wherein the printed markings comprise decorative elements, patterns,informational markings, eye marks, or combinations thereof.
 55. Thepaper wrap of claim 52, wherein the basis weight of the paper wrap isbetween about 12 lbs/3000 ft² to about 20 lbs/3000 ft².
 56. The paperwrap of claim 52, wherein the basis weight of the paper wrap is betweenabout 20 lbs/3000 ft² to about 30 lbs/3000 ft².
 57. The paper wrap ofclaim 55, wherein the at least one adhesive coated on the first surfaceof the paper wrap is applied at a dry coating weight of from about 0.2lbs/3000 ft² to about 1 lb/3000 ft².
 58. The paper wrap of claim 55,wherein the at least one adhesive coated on the first surface of thepaper wrap is applied at a dry coating weight of from about 0.25lbs/3000 ft² to about 0.5 lbs/3000 ft².
 59. The paper wrap of claim 56,wherein the at least one adhesive coated on the first surface of thepaper wrap is applied at a dry coating weight of from about 0.25lbs/3000 ft² to about 3 lbs/3000 ft².
 60. The paper wrap of claim 56,wherein the at least one adhesive coated on the first surface of thepaper wrap is applied at a dry coating weight of from about 0.5 lbs/3000ft² to about 1.25 lbs/3000 ft².
 61. The paper wrap of claim 52, whereinthe at least one adhesive coated on the first surface of the paper wrapis a heat-sealable adhesive.
 62. The paper wrap of claim 52, wherein theat least one adhesive coated on the first surface of the paper wrap is anon-wax adhesive that comprises a heat-sealable polyvinyl alcoholpolyvinyl acetate.
 63. The paper wrap of claim 52, wherein at least oneportion of the second surface of the paper wrap is coated with at leastone adhesive.
 64. The paper wrap of claim 52, wherein between about 20%and about 80% of the second surface of the paper wrap is coated with atleast one adhesive.
 65. The paper wrap of claim 55, wherein betweenabout 20% and about 80% of the second surface of the paper wrap iscoated with at least one adhesive.
 66. The paper wrap of claim 57,wherein between about 20% and about 80% of the second surface of thepaper wrap is coated with at least one adhesive, and wherein the atleast one adhesive coated on the first surface of the paper wrap and theat least one adhesive coated on the second surface of the paper wrap areeach non-wax adhesives that comprise a heat-sealable polyvinyl alcoholpolyvinyl acetate.
 67. The paper wrap of claim 55, wherein substantially100% of the second surface of the paper wrap is coated with at least oneadhesive.
 68. The paper wrap of claim 56, wherein substantially 100% ofthe second surface of the paper wrap is coated with at least oneadhesive.
 69. The paper wrap of claim 59, wherein substantially 100% ofthe second surface of the paper wrap is coated with at least oneadhesive, and wherein the at least one adhesive coated on the firstsurface of the paper wrap and the at least one adhesive coated on thesecond surface of the paper wrap are each non-wax adhesives thatcomprise a heat-sealable polyvinyl alcohol polyvinyl acetate.